Chapter 4 Many Moons Later

A large, black owl swooped into Lupin's office carrying a mouthful of parchment. Seizing the information from the owl, the weary professor attached another note he had taken from the inside of his robes.

"Excuse me, Professor? What was that all about?" asked Lavender Brown, in bewilderment.

"No interruptions, please, Miss Brown. After what that Umbridge woman taught you lot this last year, I'm sure you'd much rather learn more defensive spells instead of meddling into my personal matters. Now, on with the lesson.

"Who can tell me what curse has these symptoms?" As he spoke, he waved his wand and the symptoms appeared on the wall in shiny red letters.

Forced smile

Dazed Eyes

Rapid Gestures

Hermione Granger's hand shot up in the air. "Sir, it sounds like the Imperius Curse."

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. Yes, Mr. Longbottom?" he said to Neville, whose hand barely scathed Seamus's nose.

"Sir, it's the Commitance Curse." Several whispers broke out among the crowd of students that

were huddled together in Professor Lupin's small classroom.

"Very good, Neville. Take ten points for Gryffindor. Now, who can tell us more in detail about the curse? Yes, Harry?"

"The person who has the curse seems like they are under the command of another, which they are but not in the same way. They are forced to have two different personalities. Umbridge was under it from Fudge last year. Professor?"

Lupin was not looking at Harry, but rather he was staring at the doorway. Professor McGonagall was standing there with an odd smile on her face.

"Ah, Professor McGonagall," said Lupin, his expression turning more cheerful. "I thank God you are feeling better."

"May I have a word with you, Remus?"

"Certainly. Class is dismissed for today. Harry, I need to talk to you later. Meet me in my office after your Herbology lesson this afternoon."

"Yes, Professor," said Harry, gathering his bag and joining Ron and Hermione.

"Oh, and Harry!" called Professor Lupin, causing Harry to turn back to look at him. "Marvelous answer, take ten points for Gryffindor."

Harry grinned and ran after Ron and Hermione. Lupin and McGonagall started off down the hallway towards her office.

"When are you going to tell him, Minerva? He's sixteen years old. He has a right to know who his real parents were."

"Remus, can you imagine how much of shock that would be to him now? True, he has accomplished marvelous feats: saving the philosopher's stone, saving Ginny from the chamber, saving Sirius and Buckbeak from a horrible fate, achieving sixteen O.W.L.S. out of a possible sixteen, and becoming a prefect, but I don't think he could handle this. He just lost Sirius, Remus."

"Exactly, Minerva. And that's why I think the Mad-Eye will try to tell him since he just the lost the person he thought was the only father-figure in his life."

"I'm just afraid that he'll be angry with me, Remus. I had to take him back to the Dursley's even when I defied Albus Dumbledore twice. We kept getting death threats at Hogwarts. I love him so much. I only wanted what was best for him, but I can't show him affection here or others will suspect more than just a teacher-pupil relationship."

"He needs you, Minerva. He needs you now, more than ever. He's like a lost little cub. He's been searching for a motherly figure most of his life."

"But, I thought Mrs. Weasley..."

"Mrs. Weasley also has a den of seven other cubs, it's kind of hard to make room for another. Mrs. Dursley treated him like dirt, even as a baby. He needs his mother. You are the head of Gryffindor House. Gryffindors...young lion cubs being trained in the magical arts. Since you are the lioness protecting your cubs, you need to take your own cub under your wing and nurture him. I can't do it forever. He'll be a young lion soon. He's reaching the end of cubhood. Reach your son before he paws away from your grasp."

Minerva, at this point, was sniffling very hard. The scenario of a lioness protecting her cubs was obviously taken to heart.

"Hey, Professor," said Harry, walking into Lupin's office later that afternoon. "We had to shave Bearded Babies today. Those are some ugly little plants."

Lupin managed a small laugh. "Er....Harry, Professor McGonagall would like to talk to you for a moment."

Professor McGonagall walked into the room in her usual emerald green robes. She had that same strange smile she always approached Harry with.

"I'll leave you two alone," said Lupin, walking out of the room and magically locking the door and soundproofing it so no students or faculty members could overhear what was about to be said.

"Harry, what I am about to tell you is extremely important, Harry. Harry, I......,"

"It's okay, Professor. It's going to be alright."

Professor McGonagall decided to give it to him outright. No riding around the bush this time.

"Call me Mother, Harry."